Hydrogen? More harmful than fossil fuels according to one study

Is the future of cars only electric or can we take other paths? At present there is no real answer for this question, since the automotive sector is still in full development and only in the next few years we could have clear answers. In the last period we have reported various news on hydrogen, both regarding cars and transport by wheel / rail, although at present the infrastructure does not allow effective coverage. Despite this aspect, some manufacturers, such as Toyota or Hyundai, firmly believe that the fuel cell may be the future while others argue that the only alternative to thermal is the electric one.

According to a recent study conducted by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), the development of hydrogen cars currently risks being harmful to the environment because fuel is expensive and the availability of raw materials is limited. Consequently, the researchers call for battery electric vehicles to be used to develop the new green mobility strategy. Researcher Romain Sacchi also thinks to add to the dose, who in an interview with The Guardian specified that the use of hydrogen could, at the moment, increase greenhouse gas emissions compared to fossil fuels.

In this regard, Volkswagen's number one, Herbert Diess, reiterated his thoughts by explicitly stating that hydrogen combustion cells are not a viable solution for the future of mobility. In Wolfsburg they believe that the only solution to climate change is electric, even if an alternative based on synthetic or biological fuels is on the way; it is a technology already implemented, in some ways, by Fiat with the Panda using biomethane.

While on the one hand governments around the world require the development and use of electric platforms, on the other hand the manufacturers and representative associations ask not to leave any stone unturned and therefore also take different paths. In this regard, the number one of Stellantis, Carlo Tavares has recently made serious accusations against the electric, indicating it as a technology "brutally" imposed by European politics. Precisely for this reason, Stellantis will be one of the various manufacturers who will also seek refuge in hydrogen starting with a light commercial vehicle arriving on the market towards the end of the year. Renault, on the other hand, has set the debut of a fuel cell powered van for 2022. Finally, BMW, one of the very first manufacturers to have proposed hydrogen solutions, intends to unveil the first hydrogen SUV next year with the Hydrogen Next program.

We do not know what the future holds and if, as in the case of the Toyota hybrid, in a few years we will see a radical change of course. The story of the Japanese brand and its implementation started in 2014 should serve as a lesson to anyone who refuses to take a new path.